Police

Report for SCSO and OSP

At 1 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2013, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office received a cell call from a Portland, Ore., woman who was snowshoeing on Dog Mountain and who had lost the trail.

Betsy Steinhart, 36, of Portland, advised authorities that she was near the junction of the Dog Mountain and Augspurger Mountain trails at approximately 3400 feet. She said she had run into heavy snow and felt unsafe to continue for fear of slipping and falling.

A SAR Hasty team comprised of Brad Liedtke and Mike Dunn from Wind River Search and Rescue responded along with Skamania County deputies to the Dog Mountain Trailhead, approximately 10 miles east of Stevenson off State Route 14.

It took approximately 3.5 hours for searchers to reach the woman in snow and high winds. A US Coastguard helicopter from Coast Guard Station Astoria responded as well but, because of high wind conditions including a deteriorating cloud cover, were unable to assist.

Two additional SAR teams were deployed into the field, met up with the first team, and all returned to the trailhead at the base of Dog Mountain at 9:35 p.m.

Steinhart was checked by medics on scene and was not transported.

Fifteen personnel from Wind River Search and Rescue, Clark County Search and Rescue, Silver Star Search and Rescue, Skamania County EMS, and the Skamania County Sheriff's Office all participated in this effort.

"We are fortunate to have individuals such as Brad Liedtke and Mike Dunn of Wind River Search and Rescue at our disposal, that make themselves available to volunteer for SAR missions such as this," said Sergeant Arne Gonser. "These men did an excellent job of reaching Ms. Steinhart, and warming her sufficiently so they could bring her down the trail to meet up with the other teams when the weather made air operations impossible."

OREGON

STATE POLICE

Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into the assault of a commercial truck driver shortly after midnight while he was stopped in the viewpoint parking area along the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 east of Corbett in the Columbia River Gorge.

The victim received minor, non-life threatening injuries after he reported he was stabbed by one of two suspects who approached him.

On Jan. 4, 2013, at approximately 12:23 a.m., Edwin J. Jones, 39, from Plymouth, Neb., pulled into the viewpoint parking area because traffic appeared stopped due to a possible traffic crash in the westbound lanes along Interstate 84 near milepost 23.

Jones said he got out of his truck and was standing next to it when two men from a sport utility vehicle approached him and asked for money and cigarettes. When he said he didn't have any to give them, one of the two men described as a white adult male pulled a knife and assaulted the victim causing minor wounds to his hand, lower arm and stomach.

Jones was involved in a brief struggle with the suspects before they left westbound in a dark colored sport utility vehicle, similar to a Ford Explorer. The vehicle was also described as "lowered".

Jones was transported by ambulance to Mt. Hood Medical Center where he received several stitches for his wounds before being released.

Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers are continuing the investigation into the Jan. 31, 2012, traffic crash along the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 about a mile west of Mosier in which a vehicle lost control on ice, crashed through a guardrail and went into the Columbia River.

A dive team from Skamania County Sheriff's Office recovered the body of a 7-year old Clackamas boy from the submerged pickup approximately five hours after the crash.

The boy's father was treated and released from a Hood River hospital.

On Dec. 31, 2012, at approximately 4:20 p.m., a 2005 Toyota Tundra pickup driven by John G. Arntson, 40, from Clackamas, Ore., was westbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 69 when he lost control on icy road conditions. The pickup crashed into a guardrail and continued over the railing down a rocky embankment into the Columbia River. John Arntson escaped the pickup but wasn't able to save his son, 7-year old Jacob Roy Arntson.

An OSP trooper arrived on scene about five minutes later but the pickup was submerged and not visible. Several other emergency responding agencies, including two boats and the Skamania County, Washington Sheriff's Office Dive Recue Team came to assist. The boy's body was recovered at 9:30 p.m. after the pickup was found by divers about 20 yards from shore in approximately 40 feet of water.

The right hand westbound lane was blocked for about five hours. OSP troopers from The Dalles Area Command office are continuing the investigation. OSP was assisted at the scene by Hood River County Sheriff's Office, Skamania County Sheriff's Office, Hood River Fire Department, Wyeast Fire Department, Hood River Medic 2, and ODOT. Boats from both sheriff departments assisted in the recovery.